Photographic camera



(No Model.)

G. D. THOMPSON.

PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERA.

No. 433,553. Patented Aug. 5, 1890.

TH: Noms Pneus au., PNoo-Llmo., wAsHxNGwN, o. c.

UNITED STATES VPATENT OEEIcE.

GEORGE D. THOMPSON, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Application filed J' une 27, 1889.

.To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE D. THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in PhotographicCameras, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to photographic cameras, and particularly to thatclass which are provided with a receptacle to receive a number ofsensitized plates arranged to be exposed successively and after exposureto be conveyed into a dark-box until such time as it is convenient todevelop them. Its object is to combine in the same device a detective,view, and general camera, so arranged that the plates may besuccessively exposed and after exposure returned to the dark-receptaclewithout change of the device, whether used as a detective or ordinarycamera. These objects are accomplished by the means illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in connection with which the invention will befirst fully described, and will then be particularly referred to andpointed out in the claims.

Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of my improved camera andits attachment, taken through line a: c of Fig. 2, except theplate-receptacle, which is shown in side elevation, and except thatportion of it which is broken away to expose the position of the plateswithin it. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan View of the attachment with theplate-receptacle connected. This is shown in bottom elevation with aportion broken out. A portion of one side of the box or case is alsoshown in section. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the attachment shown inFig. 2.

Referring to the parts, which are indicated by similar reference-letterswherever they ocour throughout the various views, A is a rectangular boxprovided at top with the customary handle A. vThe box has, near one endback of the hinged door o, a partition A2,into which is fitted the lensa. The oppos' e end of the box has two hinged doors a2 a3, th upper oneof which a2 opens downwardly and the lower one of which is hinged to oneside\ Patent N0. 433,553, dated August 5, 1890.

Serial No. 815,826. (No model.)

of the box. inside of the partition A2 are grooved to receive the metalplate B, which is the foundation upon which my improvements aremountcured guide-bars C to receive the side edges of the frame C. Thisframe has downwardlyprojecting side flanges c, which have inturned angleedges o to enter grooves in the sides of the plate holder or receptacleD. To the outsides of these iianges o are secured springlatches o2, thecatches of which, when the box or receptacle D is pushed into place,spring over the front corners and lock the receptacle to the frame C. Tothe rear bar of the frame C is secured a toothed bar E, the longitudinalmovement of which is guided by a keeper e, through which the bar Epasses. The keeper is secured to the under side of plate B by screwspassing through its lugs. Tothe under side of the plate B is secured alug-plate F, which furnishes bearings f f for the shaft G. Y

Upon the inner end of the shaft G is a diskwheel G', which has a spiralthread to engage the teeth of a rack E and move the rack the distance ofone tooth at each revolution of the shaft G. The teeth of the rack areso spaced as to successively bring one of the plates d within box Dunder the opening in plate B at each revolution of the shaft. To theouter end ,of shaft G is secured a knurl g, which has a pin g projectingfrom its inner face to enter a hole in a plate g2, secured to theoutside of the box A, in order to stop the shaft when it has made onerevolution. A spiral spring g3 is coiled around the shaft G to hold thespirally-threaded disk up toits work andlock the shaft by holding thepin g in the hole in the plate g2.

Upon the upper side of plate B is arranged a slide I-I, to cover anduncover the plateopening in the plate B. This slide is actuated by a rodh, which is secured to its forcured upon plate B. To the outer end ofthe rod h is secured a button or knurl h2, by

\i\vardly, its movement being limited in one The sides of the box A andthe ed. To the under side of this plate are seward end, and is guided ina keeper h', se-

which the slide is pulled out or pushed indirection by the edge of theplate or the boss within which the inner end of rod 7L is secured, andin the opposite direction by a pin or screw h3, secured in the rod h.Upon the upper side of this slide II is secured, in an upright frame I,a groun d-glass plate J, which, when the slide H is pushed in to itslimit, occupies a position within the frame K, which is secured upon theplate B, to receive the sensitized plates, the frame K being largeenough to admitthe ground-glass plate and its frame. The object of thisarrangement is to admit of the instrument being used as an ordinarycamera, as well as what is known as a detective-camera. The frame K hasgrooves to receive the sensitized plates from the receptacle. Theseplates are brought into the frame K successively by simply pulling outthe slide II, and then reversing or turning over the camera, when theplate immediately below the transverse slot in frame B drops into theframe K. The slide is then pushed in to cover the slot, and the cameraturned to its normal position.

To the inside of frame I at each side is se cured a flat spring t', theobject of which is to press slightly against the back of the sensitizedplates or their frames, prevent jar in their passage from the boX D tothe frame K, and force the sensitized plate against the front frame, soas to insure a uniform focus whether thick or thin plates be used. Theframe K is supported by braces 7c.

'Ihe operation of my camera is as follows: Vhen the device is to be usedas detectivecamera or to take instantaneous views, let it be assumedthat the receptacle E is iilled with sensitized plates, and the firstplate to the left of the device is directly under the slot in plate B.The slide II is pulled from over the slot in plate B and the cameraturned over or upside down. This movement will bring the irst plate intoframe K. The slide H is now pushed inwardly, closing the slot in plate Band firmly holdin g the sensitized plate to the front of the frame K.After the necessary exposure t-he slide H is again drawn out, when thenowimpressed plate drops back into the boX D, and the shaft G rotatedonce around. This brings the nextplate directly under the slot in plateB, when the operation may be repeated when another picture is to betaken.

IVhen it is desired to use the instrument-as an ordinary camera, theparts are in the position just described-that is, with the groundglassplate occupying the position in frame K which is occupied by thesensitized plate when ready for exposure. The operator can now get hissubject in focus by opening door d2, whether the camera be in its normalor in verted position, (the latter being preferable.) If the camera isinverted, it is only necessary after the subject is in focus to draw outthe rod 7L, when a sensitized plate will drop down to the position justpreviously occupied by the ground-glass plate, when the picture will betaken without moving the camera after the subject has been properlyfocused. It' the picture is to be taken with the camera in its normalcondition, it is obvious that it must be returned to the same positionafter it has been inverted to bring the sensitized plate to the sameposition previously occupied by the ground-glass plate.

It will be understood, of course, that I do not confine myself to theprecise construction shown and described, as it is obvious that' manymere mechanical changes may be made without departing from the spiritand scope of my invention.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letn ters Patent, is-n I. Thecombination, substantially as here inbefore set forth, of the outerease, the plate dividing it into an upper and lower comparti ment, saidplate being slotted for the passage of a plate from the lower to theupper com-v partment for exposure, and its return after exposure, aplate-supporting frame secured to the top of said dividingplate over itsslot, a plate-1eceptacle arranged to slide in the lower compartment,meanssuch as shown to slide said receptacle so as to bring the platescontained in it successively under the slot in the dividingplate, and aslide to cover and uncover said slot, a rod secured to said slide andextending outside of the case, whereby the plates in the receptacle maybe successively brought from their places in the receptaele into theframe in the upper compartment, sustained for exposure, and returned totheir places in said receptacle by simply turning over the case andmoving the slide to cover or uncover the said slot.

2. In a camera, the combination, substantially as set forth, of the easeA, the slotted plate B, dividing the case into an upper and lowercompartment, the plate-l1older mounted to slide in guides secured underthe plate B in the lower compartment, the frame K, secured to the top ofsaid plate B over the slot in the same, and the slide I-I to alternatelycover and uncover said slot for the purpose of allowing the plates to becarried from the receptacle into the frame K, supported in said frame,and returned to the receptacle after exposure.

3. The combination of the case A, the slotted partition B, dividing saidcase into two compartments, the frame K, secured upon plate B above theslot in the same, the sliding plat-eA holder below said plate, meanssuch as shown to move the plate-holder so as to bring the plates withinit alternately under the slot in plate B, the slide H and itsactuating-rod 7L to cover and uncover said slot, and the frame I andground-glass plate J, secured to the upper side of said slide, for thepurpose set forth.

4. The combination, substantially as specitied, of the camera-box A, theslotted plate IOO IIO

B, dividing the same into an upper and lower plate B, the rod h tovaetuate said slide, and compartment, the frame C', tted to slide untheframe K, secured to the top of said plaie der the plate or partition B,the rack-bar se- B over its slot, for the purpose specified.

cured to said frame, the shaft and spirzilly- GEORGE D. THOMPSON.threaded disk to. move said frame, the plate- Vitnesses:

carrier secured in the frame O', the plate H, GEO. J. MURRAY,

arranged to cover and uncover the slot in FRANK L. MILLWARD.

